Railways play a pivotal role in global transportation by facilitating efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable movement of goods and people. They connect remote regions, reduce road congestion, and curb emissions. Railways foster economic growth, trade, and connectivity, making them indispensable for a greener and interconnected world.
Following Hon’ble Prime Minister’s net zero emission mission, the railways in Bharat have braced up to realise this vision though its 100% broad gauge electrification mission. Bharat has over 65350 kms broad gauge railway tracks out of which only just 21413 kms of tracks were electrified but over the past 9 years the railway electrification work has paced up tremendously resulting in electrifying around 40000 kilometres of railway electrification during this period which takes the total to over 59000 kms. The work of electrifying 6000+ kilometres of broad gauge network is going at a rapid pace with an aim to achieve 100% electrification before the end of the year 2023.
Aiming to achieve the title of world’s largest green railways and zero carbon emission by 2030, the Indian railways’ broad gauge network has witnessed 100% electrification in 14 states/UTs in June 2023. The Indian Railways also aims to save around 2 lakh litres of fuel daily by electrifying all 411 maintenance pits by December 2023 out of which work for 302 has already been concluded. 100% Railway electrification will save around 13510 crore per annum. The 100% electrification will not only save fuel but also be economical with the maintenance perspective. While maintenance of diesel locomotives costs 32.84 thousand GTKM, the electric locomotive costs only 16.45 per thousand GTKM.
The country imports 85% of its crude requirements of which Indian railways is the highest consumer. The electrification has reduced the dependency on fuel supply from foreign countries as in 2014-15 the total 18,536 Cr was spent for diesel by the Indian railways The Railways has reduced its diesel consumption by more than 50 per cent in 2020-21 in comparison to its previous financial year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
In his reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said “in 2018-2019, the Railways’ diesel consumption was 26,41,142 kilo litres, which reduced by 10.44 per cent in 2019-2020, which further reduced by 50.29 per cent to 11,75,901 kilo litres in 2020-21”. The fuel bill shrank a significant 38 per cent, too, from Rs 18,587 crore to Rs 11,439 crore in the same period.
The railway electrification in the past 9 years describes the scale and pace of development of the nation signifying its Amrit Kaal. Electrifying nearly 40000 kms of broad gauge railway network in just 9 years is equal to electrifying the total railway network of countries like Germany (40,625 Kms), Argentina (36,966 Kms), Australia (33,168 Kms), Brazil (39,817 Kms), France (29,273 Kms), Japan (27,273 Kms) and many other countries on the world map.
Witnessing nearly 176% increase in railway electrification in the past 9 years makes a significant jump from just 32.7% of electrified broad gauge railway network in 2014 to 90% in the year 2023 which will achieve the 100% mark by December 2023. It will make Bharat the largest electrified broad gauge railway network in the world and second country to achieve the 100% electrification mark after Switzerland (6200 Kms) which is less than 10% as compared to Indian railway broad gauge network.
While Bharat aims to achieve the 100% railway electrification milestone by December 2023, the so called developed countries of the world like USA has only 1%, Australia 10%, U.K. 38%, Russia 51%, EU 56%, China 72% and Japan 75% stands way below in electrifying its railway network.
It is very significant to verify the scale and pace of railway electrification during the 21st century. The average RKM/day electrification during 2004-09 was 12 RKM/day with only 2150 RKM electrified. During 2009-2014 only 3038 RKM were electrified with only 1.7 RKM/day whereas post 2014 it tremendously took of 13687 RKM electrified with 7.5 RKM/Day further during 2019-22, 16759 RKM electrified with 15.3 RKM/day and 6565 RKM during the year 2022-23 with 18 RKM/day signifying the Amrit Kaal of Bharat satisfying the aspirations 1.4 billion Bharatiya citizens.
Amrit Kaal of Bharat is not about incremental growth but it is about taking strides and jumps across all sectors. The Railways being the lifeline of Bharat has also proved itself as the high speed engine of the growth that the nation has witnessed during the past decade. After decades of ignorance and negligence towards the key issues and sectors of development, now Bharat is the key to global development in its Amrit Kaal. One can imagine how 100% electrification will directly benefit in reduction of carbon emission, to per km operation cost, and maintenance cost as well as have indirect benefits in generating employment as well as beginning down the commodity costs at a large benefiting a large strata of population in Bharat.
Author : Rangam Trivedi
Author Description : Rangam Trivedi has pursued his post graduation in transportation engineering. Along with it he pursued M.A. in political science as well as public policy analysis from London School of Economics. He is a young social contributor, researcher and an author.
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